A shortened phrase is an abbreviation of a group of words form a phrase or name that have been contracted for ease of writing. They are especially useful in essays and theses that repeat the same phrase or name many times. Understanding their correct usage can help avoid errors and confusion, and add to the polished appearance of your document. There are two types of shortened phrases: acronyms and initialisms.
An acronym is a shortened phrase that usually contains the first letter of each word from a phrase. An acronym is pronounced as a word, for example: ‘SACE’ and ‘CAPA’.
An initialism is similar to an acronym; however, it is not pronounced like a word—each letter is pronounced as though it is being spelt-out. Some common initialisms include: ‘UN’, ‘USA’ and ‘NSW’.
Each letter in an acronym or initialism should be capitalised. The only exception to the rule of capitalising shortened phrases is if an acronym is well known and is used like a proper name, for example, ‘Qantas’ and ‘sonar’.
Full stops should not be used between the individual letters in a shortened phrase. The only exception to this rule is if an initialism has been used in a heading that consists of uppercase words. In this instance, full stops would be used between the individual letters of the initialism to prevent it from being read as a word, for example: ‘MAJOR VICTORY FOR U.S.’.
The expanded version of a shortened phrase should not always be capitalised, the normal rules of capitalisation apply. To make a shortened phrase plural, a plural ‘s’ is added without an apostrophe.
It is important to introduce a shortened phrase in the first instance it is used in a document, even if the shortened version is common. This is achieved by writing the expanded version of the phrase, followed by the acronym or initialism in brackets. For example, ‘The United Nations (UN) press release stated … ’. Thereafter, the initialism ‘UN’ would be used for the remainder of the document.
The same rule applies for theses: if a shortened form has been introduced in a previous chapter, it does not need to be introduced again. The only exception is the abstract of a thesis. Any shortened phrase that has been introduced in the abstract must be introduced again the first time it is used in the body of the thesis. In addition, if your thesis uses many shortened phrases, you should include a ‘List of Abbreviations’ in the preliminary pages of your thesis.
Did you know, the longest acronym in the English language contains 22 letters? It is ‘ADCOMSUBORDCOMPHIBSPAC’ and stands for ‘Administrative Command, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet Subordinate Command’. However, this is dwarfed by the world’s longest initialism, which contains 56 letters: ‘NIIOMTPLABOPARMBETZHELBETRABSBOMONIMONKONOTDTEKHSTROMONT’. It stands for ‘The laboratory for shuttering, reinforcement, concrete and ferroconcrete operations for composite-monolithic and monolithic constructions of the Department of the Technology of Building-assembly operations of the Scientific Research Institute of the Organization for building mechanization and technical aid of the Academy of Building and Architecture of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics’.
You should now have a clearer idea of shortened forms and know how to use them correctly. Remember, you must always introduce acronyms and initialisms, even if they are commonly used. They do not use full stops, unless an initialism appears in an uppercase heading and may be confused for a word. Using shortened phrases correctly will certainly add to the polished appearance of your essay or thesis.
Written by:
Nick Brandenburg
Quality Assurance Manager
Elite Editing
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
What is a Topic Sentence?
The body of an essay includes many paragraphs that each paragraph discusses a new topic to substantiate the essay’s thesis statement (i.e. answer the essay question). Before you start writing a paragraph, it is important to have a topic sentence to unify the paragraph’s content and to ensure the paragraph discusses the topic coherently.
A topic sentence is a single sentence that states a single idea or a topic in a paragraph. It must be presented at the beginning of a paragraph to tell the reader what the topic of the paragraph is and how the paragraph will discuss it. Another important function of a topic sentence is to prove the essay’s thesis statement (answer the essay question). It can also specify the order of the content of a paragraph. This way, the reader can see the organisation of your essay as it will be written in an organised and smooth way, without illogical or sudden shifts or jumps.
For example, if you were writing an essay on the causes of the Holocaust in Germany and your thesis statement was ‘There were many complicated and inter-related causes for the Holocaust, including the economy of Germany, the ideology of the fascists, and Hitler’s personal racism’, then from this thesis statement, your first topic sentence might be:
‘The most significant cause for the Holocaust was the economic state of Germany.’
This topic sentence tells the reader what the paragraph will discuss. After this topic sentence, you can give background information. Then you start to discuss the topic by applying facts, incidences, argument, analysis, or examples from your research. In the final step of writing a paragraph, you should wrap up the connection between your discussion in the paragraph and the topic sentence of the paragraph to ensure the main message of this paragraph stays in the reader’s mind.
Once you have finished discussing the economy of Germany in relation to how it caused the Holocaust, you would move on to the next cause for the Holocaust that you gave in your thesis statement (which was presented in your introduction). In order to transition smoothly from one topic to the next, and to explain to the reader why you are discussing a new topic, you would need to begin your next section with a topic sentence like:
‘Another important cause for the Holocaust was the ideology of the Nazi Party.’
This signals that you are discussing a new topic, which is the ideology of the Nazi Party, and explains that you are discussing it because it answers your essay question.
Written by:
Chloe Anuwong
Customer Service
Elite Editing
A topic sentence is a single sentence that states a single idea or a topic in a paragraph. It must be presented at the beginning of a paragraph to tell the reader what the topic of the paragraph is and how the paragraph will discuss it. Another important function of a topic sentence is to prove the essay’s thesis statement (answer the essay question). It can also specify the order of the content of a paragraph. This way, the reader can see the organisation of your essay as it will be written in an organised and smooth way, without illogical or sudden shifts or jumps.
For example, if you were writing an essay on the causes of the Holocaust in Germany and your thesis statement was ‘There were many complicated and inter-related causes for the Holocaust, including the economy of Germany, the ideology of the fascists, and Hitler’s personal racism’, then from this thesis statement, your first topic sentence might be:
‘The most significant cause for the Holocaust was the economic state of Germany.’
This topic sentence tells the reader what the paragraph will discuss. After this topic sentence, you can give background information. Then you start to discuss the topic by applying facts, incidences, argument, analysis, or examples from your research. In the final step of writing a paragraph, you should wrap up the connection between your discussion in the paragraph and the topic sentence of the paragraph to ensure the main message of this paragraph stays in the reader’s mind.
Once you have finished discussing the economy of Germany in relation to how it caused the Holocaust, you would move on to the next cause for the Holocaust that you gave in your thesis statement (which was presented in your introduction). In order to transition smoothly from one topic to the next, and to explain to the reader why you are discussing a new topic, you would need to begin your next section with a topic sentence like:
‘Another important cause for the Holocaust was the ideology of the Nazi Party.’
This signals that you are discussing a new topic, which is the ideology of the Nazi Party, and explains that you are discussing it because it answers your essay question.
Written by:
Chloe Anuwong
Customer Service
Elite Editing
Thursday, May 19, 2011
What is a Thesis Statement?
A thesis statement is a sentence or sentences that present the main idea or the central argument of your essay. It tells the reader what your essay is going to argue. Your thesis statement must be presented in your introduction. A good thesis statement will answer your essay question and outline what you will write about, clearly and concisely.
Why should your essay comprise a thesis statement?
The thesis statement guides you to write your essay in a developed and organised way, allowing you to present your argument in a manner that is not too broad. In addition, it provides the reader with an overview of what your essay is going to argue.
For example:
There were many complicated and inter-related causes for the Holocaust, including the economy of Germany, the ideology of the fascists, and Hitler’s personal racism.
From this thesis statement, a reader will know that the essay is going to talk about the causes of the Holocaust. It also clear that the main causes the essay will discuss are: 1) the economy of Germany; 2) the ideology of the fascists; and 3) Hitler’s personal racism.
How to write a thesis statement
1. From the general issue that you are interested in arguing, you should narrow down which part of the issue you are going to discuss. From the example above, you select the Holocaust and narrow it down to discuss only the causes of the Holocaust, not the results, consequences or its influences.
2. Question the issue that you are going to discuss. For example, if you are going to discuss the causes of Holocaust, you might ask yourself, ‘What were the causes of the Holocaust in World War II?’ This should be done as part of your research for your essay.
3. Answer your question with one main idea and provide main valid points to support your answer. For example, from the question above, your main answer might be, ‘There were many complicated and inter-related causes for the Holocaust’. Then you might support your main answer with these reasons:
- The economy of Germany
- The ideology of the fascists
- Hitler’s personal racism
4. Try to write your thesis statement in one or two sentences, concisely and comprehensively. From the above example, your complete thesis statement might be, ‘There were many complicated and inter-related causes for the Holocaust, including the economy of Germany, the ideology of the fascists, and Hitler’s personal racism’.
Once you have written your thesis statement you are well on your way to writing a high-quality essay!
Written by:
Chloe Anuwong
Customer Service
Elite Editing
Why should your essay comprise a thesis statement?
The thesis statement guides you to write your essay in a developed and organised way, allowing you to present your argument in a manner that is not too broad. In addition, it provides the reader with an overview of what your essay is going to argue.
For example:
There were many complicated and inter-related causes for the Holocaust, including the economy of Germany, the ideology of the fascists, and Hitler’s personal racism.
From this thesis statement, a reader will know that the essay is going to talk about the causes of the Holocaust. It also clear that the main causes the essay will discuss are: 1) the economy of Germany; 2) the ideology of the fascists; and 3) Hitler’s personal racism.
How to write a thesis statement
1. From the general issue that you are interested in arguing, you should narrow down which part of the issue you are going to discuss. From the example above, you select the Holocaust and narrow it down to discuss only the causes of the Holocaust, not the results, consequences or its influences.
2. Question the issue that you are going to discuss. For example, if you are going to discuss the causes of Holocaust, you might ask yourself, ‘What were the causes of the Holocaust in World War II?’ This should be done as part of your research for your essay.
3. Answer your question with one main idea and provide main valid points to support your answer. For example, from the question above, your main answer might be, ‘There were many complicated and inter-related causes for the Holocaust’. Then you might support your main answer with these reasons:
- The economy of Germany
- The ideology of the fascists
- Hitler’s personal racism
4. Try to write your thesis statement in one or two sentences, concisely and comprehensively. From the above example, your complete thesis statement might be, ‘There were many complicated and inter-related causes for the Holocaust, including the economy of Germany, the ideology of the fascists, and Hitler’s personal racism’.
Once you have written your thesis statement you are well on your way to writing a high-quality essay!
Written by:
Chloe Anuwong
Customer Service
Elite Editing
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Time Management and Motivation
When studying at school or university, you will normally be enrolled in more than one subject or course each semester. The busiest and most stressful time of a semester is when examinations and assignment deadlines are approaching, usually all at the same time! But you can easily reduce this stress or even avoid this situation with good time management and motivation.
The first thing you should have in order to organise your time is a schedule. It is not easy to remember everything without putting it down onto your schedule or planner. You may need to find a paper planner, which you can buy from a bookstore or download from a website. Or, you can make your own D.I.Y planner. It is suggested that you use one that contains a yearly planner, weekly planner and daily planner. Alternatively, if you are a technology expert, it is a good idea to use an online calendar or planner such as Google Calendar or any online planner that you can use to create to-do lists, make notes, and on some websites, set reminders to remind you about an activity or event via email or text message.
To manage your time effectively, you need to have good self-management. Your plan will not be successful if you cannot manage yourself to follow the plan. Planning how and when you will study and complete your assignments is crucial, and you need to stick to your plan as much as possible. When you make your plans initially, you should note them down even though you may change them later. Sometimes, you may not be able to complete a task or an assignment following the plan. You can be flexible about this depending on situation. If you need to cancel a plan or change it, you must ensure you do so only if you have no other choice because there is something more important that must be done at that time. Do not postpone the completion of tasks just because you are lacking motivation or prefer to have leisure time. It is important to manage your daily life, family issues, employment and hobbies to ensure you have enough time left for studying.
When managing your time, you can organise yourself by determining the priority of each task. A task that is due to be completed sooner must come first. For tasks that need a long time to complete, for example, studying for your final exam, you can divide it into sections. It is easier and less boring than do it in one sitting.
Some tasks may be hard for you or you may not want to do them. For example, you may have an assignment from a difficult subject that you do not like. You must find motivation to complete it. It is advisable to list the benefits of completing the task as well as the disadvantages of not doing it. When you have written this list, it allows you to decide using reason rather than emotion.
If there is an unexpected situation or a problem, it is likely that you will be able to deal with it easily once you have made this good start with time management and motivation. This planning will give you enough time to prepare yourself to effectively complete any task!
Amy Jindaphan
Marketing
Elite Editing
The first thing you should have in order to organise your time is a schedule. It is not easy to remember everything without putting it down onto your schedule or planner. You may need to find a paper planner, which you can buy from a bookstore or download from a website. Or, you can make your own D.I.Y planner. It is suggested that you use one that contains a yearly planner, weekly planner and daily planner. Alternatively, if you are a technology expert, it is a good idea to use an online calendar or planner such as Google Calendar or any online planner that you can use to create to-do lists, make notes, and on some websites, set reminders to remind you about an activity or event via email or text message.
To manage your time effectively, you need to have good self-management. Your plan will not be successful if you cannot manage yourself to follow the plan. Planning how and when you will study and complete your assignments is crucial, and you need to stick to your plan as much as possible. When you make your plans initially, you should note them down even though you may change them later. Sometimes, you may not be able to complete a task or an assignment following the plan. You can be flexible about this depending on situation. If you need to cancel a plan or change it, you must ensure you do so only if you have no other choice because there is something more important that must be done at that time. Do not postpone the completion of tasks just because you are lacking motivation or prefer to have leisure time. It is important to manage your daily life, family issues, employment and hobbies to ensure you have enough time left for studying.
When managing your time, you can organise yourself by determining the priority of each task. A task that is due to be completed sooner must come first. For tasks that need a long time to complete, for example, studying for your final exam, you can divide it into sections. It is easier and less boring than do it in one sitting.
Some tasks may be hard for you or you may not want to do them. For example, you may have an assignment from a difficult subject that you do not like. You must find motivation to complete it. It is advisable to list the benefits of completing the task as well as the disadvantages of not doing it. When you have written this list, it allows you to decide using reason rather than emotion.
If there is an unexpected situation or a problem, it is likely that you will be able to deal with it easily once you have made this good start with time management and motivation. This planning will give you enough time to prepare yourself to effectively complete any task!
Amy Jindaphan
Marketing
Elite Editing
Monday, May 16, 2011
Studying for Exams
Exams are the most general indicator used to evaluate the knowledge or skills you have gained during the semester. The period before your exams can be a very stressful time and knowing that your exams will affect your grade point average can make you very anxious. To reduce your stress and anxiety during this time, you should know how to study efficiently and be adequately prepared. The following are the key points for successful exam preparation.
Firstly, you should pay close attention and concentrate when in class. Most of the content in exams is taught in the classroom. If you do not attend class frequently, or just pay no attention to what the teacher says in the class, you will surely miss important information. Remember that teachers will not test what they have not taught.
After your classes, when you revise the lessons for exams, have paper and a pen handy for taking note of the main points and important information while reading. Taking notes is very useful because you will think before you write something and your brain will automatically memorise it. It is stored in either the short-term or long-term memory depending on how much attention you pay and how many times you revise it. When taking notes, it is best to take notes in your own words, rather than simply copying from your textbook, as this process will help you to remember the information more easily. Another good thing about taking notes is that you do not need to read everything again for the next revision. You can read the notes taken in order to recall the lessons.
In addition, you have to know what kind of exam it will be so you can arrange the way you will study. If it is a multiple-choice exam, it would be better to find old exams from the library or exercises to test yourself. This way, you can pre-evaluate your knowledge and correct yourself, as there are usually correct answers or even explanations available. If not, you can still find the answers in your textbook. If it is an essay exam, you must study the detailed information. This kind of exam frequently tests your ability to memorise details and organise your ideas. It is a good idea to identify the main topics and try to write the essay from these topics. If you do this when studying rather than waiting until you are sitting the exam, you will have more time to organise your ideas and check if you missed any important information.
Your surroundings are also important when you are studying. It is likely that you will not be able to focus on your study if there is noise or any disturbance. You may end up paying attention to other things that are distracting you. You should find a quiet place with a comfortable chair and table but you need to ensure that it is not too relaxing as you may fall asleep! Lighting should be adjusted to be suitable for reading so that your eyes will not experience strain.
If you follow the advice above, passing your exam with a high score will not be too hard for you!
Written by:
Amy Jindaphan
Customer Service and Marketing
Elite Editing
Firstly, you should pay close attention and concentrate when in class. Most of the content in exams is taught in the classroom. If you do not attend class frequently, or just pay no attention to what the teacher says in the class, you will surely miss important information. Remember that teachers will not test what they have not taught.
After your classes, when you revise the lessons for exams, have paper and a pen handy for taking note of the main points and important information while reading. Taking notes is very useful because you will think before you write something and your brain will automatically memorise it. It is stored in either the short-term or long-term memory depending on how much attention you pay and how many times you revise it. When taking notes, it is best to take notes in your own words, rather than simply copying from your textbook, as this process will help you to remember the information more easily. Another good thing about taking notes is that you do not need to read everything again for the next revision. You can read the notes taken in order to recall the lessons.
In addition, you have to know what kind of exam it will be so you can arrange the way you will study. If it is a multiple-choice exam, it would be better to find old exams from the library or exercises to test yourself. This way, you can pre-evaluate your knowledge and correct yourself, as there are usually correct answers or even explanations available. If not, you can still find the answers in your textbook. If it is an essay exam, you must study the detailed information. This kind of exam frequently tests your ability to memorise details and organise your ideas. It is a good idea to identify the main topics and try to write the essay from these topics. If you do this when studying rather than waiting until you are sitting the exam, you will have more time to organise your ideas and check if you missed any important information.
Your surroundings are also important when you are studying. It is likely that you will not be able to focus on your study if there is noise or any disturbance. You may end up paying attention to other things that are distracting you. You should find a quiet place with a comfortable chair and table but you need to ensure that it is not too relaxing as you may fall asleep! Lighting should be adjusted to be suitable for reading so that your eyes will not experience strain.
If you follow the advice above, passing your exam with a high score will not be too hard for you!
Written by:
Amy Jindaphan
Customer Service and Marketing
Elite Editing
Monday, May 9, 2011
How to Write Your First Draft
After researching and arranging your information and topic sentence in an organised way, it is time for you to present your ideas or arguments in an essay. The most difficult process for many students is writing the first draft. How do you put all ideas into your first draft comprehensively and relevantly? Many times, you may find yourself sitting and facing a blank screen for a long time, not knowing where to start, and end up with nothing. It would be helpful if you have answers for the following questions before you start writing your first draft:
1. What is your answer to the essay question?
2. What main points will you discuss in order to support your argument?
3. In what order will you discuss your main points?
4. How long will you spend discussing each main point?
5. What information will each paragraph contain (i.e. what information will you use to discuss each of your main points)?
6. What references will you use to support your argument?
(http://www.eliteediting.com.au/step5-write-first-draft-essay.php)
Write your first draft as quickly as possible and try to finish it in one go. Your first draft should include all your ideas and supporting facts or examples, following your organised outline from your research. Do not worry about adding adjectives, adverbs or producing words. Concentrate on your ideas/main points that have to be relevant to and support your topic sentence or thesis statement, and try to finish your draft in one sitting as quickly as possible. This is important for your first draft writing.
Keep the thesis statement or your topic sentence as a guideline of your whole essay. You have to know the main points that will be used to support your topic sentence. In addition, those main points have to support your topic sentence flowingly. Put examples or facts in your first draft to support your main points in each paragraph. If you have found that some sections of your essay need more facts or examples but you do not have them, mark or bracket that section to remind yourself that it needs more supporting facts and keep on writing your draft until you finish.
Ensure that your essay is written in an academic style and in the correct format according to the guidelines that you refer to. The academic writing style has to be formal and impersonal. Avoid using the personal ‘I’ in your essay because it will make your essay look unprofessional. Instead of using ‘I agree with...,’ you might use ‘This essay agrees with…’, which makes your essay looks formal and reliable. The readers know automatically that this essay is your idea as it is written by you.
Make sure that you write the essay in the correct format, consistent with the guidelines that you use for your essay, for example, line spacing, font and page margins. The in-text references or footnotes should be included while you are writing your first draft, as you have to refer to the sources of your supporting examples or facts from your research anyhow. Putting the necessary information and ideas comprehensively in your first draft will help you edit your second draft.
Written by:
Chloe Anuwong
Elite Editing
www.eliteediting.com.au
1. What is your answer to the essay question?
2. What main points will you discuss in order to support your argument?
3. In what order will you discuss your main points?
4. How long will you spend discussing each main point?
5. What information will each paragraph contain (i.e. what information will you use to discuss each of your main points)?
6. What references will you use to support your argument?
(http://www.eliteediting.com.au/step5-write-first-draft-essay.php)
Write your first draft as quickly as possible and try to finish it in one go. Your first draft should include all your ideas and supporting facts or examples, following your organised outline from your research. Do not worry about adding adjectives, adverbs or producing words. Concentrate on your ideas/main points that have to be relevant to and support your topic sentence or thesis statement, and try to finish your draft in one sitting as quickly as possible. This is important for your first draft writing.
Keep the thesis statement or your topic sentence as a guideline of your whole essay. You have to know the main points that will be used to support your topic sentence. In addition, those main points have to support your topic sentence flowingly. Put examples or facts in your first draft to support your main points in each paragraph. If you have found that some sections of your essay need more facts or examples but you do not have them, mark or bracket that section to remind yourself that it needs more supporting facts and keep on writing your draft until you finish.
Ensure that your essay is written in an academic style and in the correct format according to the guidelines that you refer to. The academic writing style has to be formal and impersonal. Avoid using the personal ‘I’ in your essay because it will make your essay look unprofessional. Instead of using ‘I agree with...,’ you might use ‘This essay agrees with…’, which makes your essay looks formal and reliable. The readers know automatically that this essay is your idea as it is written by you.
Make sure that you write the essay in the correct format, consistent with the guidelines that you use for your essay, for example, line spacing, font and page margins. The in-text references or footnotes should be included while you are writing your first draft, as you have to refer to the sources of your supporting examples or facts from your research anyhow. Putting the necessary information and ideas comprehensively in your first draft will help you edit your second draft.
Written by:
Chloe Anuwong
Elite Editing
www.eliteediting.com.au
Friday, May 6, 2011
Academic Writing: Some general guidelines
Have you ever been told that your writing style is not academic or that it is too informal?
Have you ever felt unclear on how to write an academic essay.
Are you unsure what rules to follow, what you can do and what you should not do?
Formality
Academic writing needs to be formal and impersonal. This means that your writing should be clear, concise and professional. It needs to follow certain rules (such as those outlined below) in order to ensure that it meets academic standards.
Supported by evidence
The most significant difference between academic and non-academic writing is that academic writing puts forward arguments and ideas that are supported by evidence, most often in the form of citing other research or studies. Learning how to reference correctly is an important part of ensuring that your arguments and ideas are always supported by evidence. You must remember that you cannot make a claim or assertion in an academic essay without supporting it.
The use of the first person
Although there are exceptions, (for example, if you are discussing a field trip that you personally took in order to conduct research or interviews that you carried out), normally academic writing does not make use of the first person. This means you would not use ‘I’ in your essays. Therefore, instead of writing ‘I will argue’, you might write ‘this essay will argue’. The first reason for this is that academic writing must be formal and impersonal.
Consider the difference between these two sentences:
1. ‘In this essay, I will discuss the reasons why Critical Thinking is important to the role of Registered Nurses, including its role in improving the accuracy of diagnoses.’
2. ‘Critical Thinking is important to the role of Registered Nurses because it improves the accuracy of diagnoses.’
Not only is the second sentence more formal because it does not make use of the personal ‘I’, but it is also more direct and thus sounds clearer, more concise, and more academic. Instead of stating that a point will be made, as in the first sentence, the second sentence simply makes the point directly.
The second reason why the use of the first person is discouraged is that it is often redundant (unnecessary). Consider the difference between these two sentences:
1. I believe that Critical Thinking is relevant to the role of Registered Nurses.
2. Critical Thinking is relevant to the role of Registered Nurses.
It is unnecessary to state ‘I believe’. The reader knows that the statement is what the author believes, because the author is writing it in their essay. Further, which sentence sounds more convincing? The second sentence sounds more convincing because it is direct and straight to the point.
Grammar, spelling and punctuation
Correct grammar, spelling and punctuation are very important in academic writing. In order to write formally and to a high academic standard, your writing must be accurate. Writing an essay that contains correct grammar, spelling and punctuation can make a significant difference to your final grade. Accurate writing affects not only your marks for presentation. If your grammar and sentence structure is so unclear that your tutor or lecturer cannot understand the point you are trying to make, for example, you could lose marks overall. Handing in an essay that is well written, accurate and highly polished can improve your grades.
Have you ever felt unclear on how to write an academic essay.
Are you unsure what rules to follow, what you can do and what you should not do?
Formality
Academic writing needs to be formal and impersonal. This means that your writing should be clear, concise and professional. It needs to follow certain rules (such as those outlined below) in order to ensure that it meets academic standards.
Supported by evidence
The most significant difference between academic and non-academic writing is that academic writing puts forward arguments and ideas that are supported by evidence, most often in the form of citing other research or studies. Learning how to reference correctly is an important part of ensuring that your arguments and ideas are always supported by evidence. You must remember that you cannot make a claim or assertion in an academic essay without supporting it.
The use of the first person
Although there are exceptions, (for example, if you are discussing a field trip that you personally took in order to conduct research or interviews that you carried out), normally academic writing does not make use of the first person. This means you would not use ‘I’ in your essays. Therefore, instead of writing ‘I will argue’, you might write ‘this essay will argue’. The first reason for this is that academic writing must be formal and impersonal.
Consider the difference between these two sentences:
1. ‘In this essay, I will discuss the reasons why Critical Thinking is important to the role of Registered Nurses, including its role in improving the accuracy of diagnoses.’
2. ‘Critical Thinking is important to the role of Registered Nurses because it improves the accuracy of diagnoses.’
Not only is the second sentence more formal because it does not make use of the personal ‘I’, but it is also more direct and thus sounds clearer, more concise, and more academic. Instead of stating that a point will be made, as in the first sentence, the second sentence simply makes the point directly.
The second reason why the use of the first person is discouraged is that it is often redundant (unnecessary). Consider the difference between these two sentences:
1. I believe that Critical Thinking is relevant to the role of Registered Nurses.
2. Critical Thinking is relevant to the role of Registered Nurses.
It is unnecessary to state ‘I believe’. The reader knows that the statement is what the author believes, because the author is writing it in their essay. Further, which sentence sounds more convincing? The second sentence sounds more convincing because it is direct and straight to the point.
Grammar, spelling and punctuation
Correct grammar, spelling and punctuation are very important in academic writing. In order to write formally and to a high academic standard, your writing must be accurate. Writing an essay that contains correct grammar, spelling and punctuation can make a significant difference to your final grade. Accurate writing affects not only your marks for presentation. If your grammar and sentence structure is so unclear that your tutor or lecturer cannot understand the point you are trying to make, for example, you could lose marks overall. Handing in an essay that is well written, accurate and highly polished can improve your grades.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
